Kia Optima 2004 Owner's Manual page 59

THE IMPORTANCE OF
USING SAFETY BELTS
There are four very important reasons to
use safety belts even with an air bag
system, they:
• help keep you in the proper position
(away from the air bag) when it
inflates.
• reduce the risk of harm in rollover,
side or rear impact collisions,
because an air bag is not designed to
inflate in such situations.
• reduce the risk of harm in frontal
collisions that are not severe enough
to activate the supplemental restraint
system.
• reduce the risk of being thrown from
your vehicle.
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KNOWING YOUR VEHICLE
WARNING :
AIR BAGS & SAFETY BELTS
Even in vehicles with air bags, you
and your passengers must always
wear the safety belts provided in
order to minimize the risk and
severity of injury in the event of a
collision or rollover.
• Always wear your safety belt. It
can help keep you away from
the air bags during heavy
braking just before a collision.
• Air bags are designed to inflate
only in severe frontal collisions
and will generally not provide
protection in side or rear
impacts, rollovers or less
severe frontal collisions. They
will also not provide protection
from later impacts in a multi-
impact collision.
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• If your vehicle has been
subjected to flood conditions
(e.g. soaked carpeting/ standing
water on the floor of the vehicle,
etc.) or if your vehicle has
become flood damaged in any
way, do not attempt to start the
vehicle or put the key in the
ignition before disconnecting
the battery. This may cause air
bag deployment, which could
result in serious personal injury
or death. Have the vehicle
towed to an authorized
dealer for inspection and
necessary repairs.
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